Medium dispenser

ABSTRACT

For discharging a medium, such as a powder, a film/foil seal ( 16 ) of a reservoir chamber ( 24 ) is pierced by a tool ( 40 ) in a first axial movement, after which the medium is suctioned via an orifice ( 9 ) in feeding a delivery flow via passageways ( 55 ) from the chamber ( 24 ). On completion of a return stroke and twisting the tool ( 40 ) relative to the reservoir body ( 6 ) a further chamber ( 24 ) may be emptied in the same way, thus enabling e.g. a pharmaceutical active substance to be administered in two individual doses as expedient for nasal treatment.

The invention relates to a dispenser or discharge apparatus for media,more particularly for flowable media which may be gaseous, pasty orliquid, preferably powdery. Expediently in using it or in dischargingthe medium the dispenser is to be held or actuated single-handedly suchthat it is preferably suitable for suction or inhalation of thepharmaceutical active substances contained therein, so that they can bedelivered e.g. to the mucous membrane of the nose. The dispenser may bemade entirely of injection-molded or plastics parts.

The invention is based on the object of providing a dispenser whichobviates the drawbacks of known configurations and which permitsmicrovolume delivery by a dispenser which is simple to manufacture,assemble, handle, keep, or the like.

In accordance with the invention the individual delivery dose of themedium may be provided in a cupped or similar reservoir chambersubstantially hermetically presealed so that it may be agitated asthoroughly as possible by an inlet/delivery flow on discharge of themedium to ensure the medium being emptied in one go totally from thereservoir cup exclusively through the medium orifice remote therefrom.The inlet flow may be formed by a medium of the aforementioned kind,more particularly however air, which flows into the dispenser fromwithout, gaining access via passageways to the reservoir cup where aswirl or rotary flow is generated to mixingly entrain the medium storedtherein and thus emerge as the delivery flow through the medium orificeinto the atmosphere. Although the delivery flow could be generated by apressure source or pump of the dispenser, a particularly simpleconfiguration materializes when the inlet flow is generated by a suctionflow in the outlet passage or in the reservoir cup, namely e.g. solelyby the user inhaling through the medium orifice.

The reservoir chamber may comprise—like a blister pack—a cupped body andas the reservoir seal a plastics film or metal foil, or the like,secured to the face side about the reservoir opening in the reservoirbody, this film/foil possibly being configured single or multi-ply andsecured expediently by bonding, such as hot sealing to produce ahermetic seal to prevent the medium from gaining access between theadjacent surface areas of the reservoir body and the sealing wall fromthe reservoir chamber. However, the reservoir chamber may also be a pumpcylinder with or without a prefitted plunger into which on actuation afinger with or without plunger enters.

Prior to discharge of the stored dose of the medium this seal is openedby being ruptured, but without destroying the bonding or sealconnection, more particularly so that it is merely slitted open withoutany debris of the seal becoming detached, i.e. instead all parts of theseal remaining securely attached to the reservoir body after opening sothat they cannot be entrained in the flow to the outlet passage. Forthis opening action the dispenser comprises instead of the plunger, orin addition thereto, a tool, provided preferably at the inflow end ofthe outlet passage and able to work in two phases in sequence. In thefirst phase only the center of the sealing wall is urged into theinterior of the reservoir chamber until it ruptures, after which thesealing wall is slit open radially to form several radial flaps of thesealing wall which in the second phase are splayed or defined by beingclamped in place relative to the reservoir body, thus ensuring that evenin the case of a highly flexible sealing film/foil a sufficiently largepassage cross-section for the inlet flow materializes without the riskof the seal flaps reclosing or restricting the passage cross-sectiononce the flow action is effective.

The volume of the reservoir chamber may be several times, e.g. at leasttwo or three times, larger than the volume of the discharge dose storedtherein so that already on commencement of discharge of the mediumsuitably large spaces are available for developing a swirl flow and thepassage inlet or the inlet openings thereof are not fully covered by themedium on plunging into the reservoir chamber. The inlet flow gainsaccess directly to the medium expediently through an annular passagedefined by the reservoir chamber and/or an outlet nozzle, whereby onleaving the annular passage the inlet flow is directed as a kind ofannular roller radially inwards and then back in the opposite directioninto the outlet passage. The bottom of the reservoir cup which isconcave over the full width of the reservoir chamber as well as theconically tapered end of the outlet passage serve as curved or inclinedguiding surface areas for the reverse flow. During discharge of themedium these guiding surface areas are defined centered and stoppedrelative to each other to have so little freedom of movement that thedefinition of the cup chamber or bottom thereof remains out of contact.The flaps of the sealing wall define the passageways for the inlet flowwithin the reservoir chamber, however, from the opening of the reservoirup to the region of the guiding surface areas so that their ends arefree to flutter in the air flow, whirling up the medium mechanically.

The dispenser receives the reservoir cup expediently totally in ahousing which may be permanently fixed or movable relative to the mediumorifice. Expediently the reservoir chamber is movable relative to themedium orifice, the outlet passage, the opening tool or the like, e.g.by being shiftable parallel to the centerline of the cup or pivotableabout an axis parallel to the cup centerline. This pivoting or twistingaxis is located radially totally outside of the reservoir chamber sothat it may be translated from a location in line with the outletpassage into a location remote therefrom. It is this axial movement thatenables the reservoir seal to be opened and the rotary movement enablesthe reservoir cup to be translated from a resting position into anoperating position, the reservoir cup being unable to come into contactwith the outlet passage in the resting position when the outlet passageis axially shifted.

The dispenser may comprise on a common reservoir body two or morereservoir chambers the same or differing in size which may be translatedinto the operating position or discharge position in sequence by one ofthe cited movements and thus emptied each separately in one go. Thesereservoir chambers are distributed to advantage uniformly about the axisof rotation, whereby between them a supporting or mounting appendage maybe provided protruding beyond the bottoms of the cups and transmittingaxial actuating forces directly to the reservoir body.

To facilitate piercing the reservoir wall or actuation for discharge ofthe medium the parts movable relative to each other for this purpose areexpediently loaded via a pressure point, after the defeat of which theforces counteracting the actuation are substantially diminishedthroughout up to the stop so that the dispenser may be translated atrelatively high speed into the end position of the stroke. Theself-releasing resistive forces of the pressure point may be formed by aspring latch, a design break point or the like. The members releasingfor this purpose by interengagement or by the actuating force may be,like anti-twist members, located in the region of the outercircumference of the reservoir body or be formed by the outermostcircumference thereof so that the reservoir body requires no separateappendages or the like for this purpose.

The anti-twist members, by means of which the reservoir body isprevented from twisting out of place from the inner end of the outletpassage on discharge of the medium, may act positively throughout fromthe starting position of the reservoir body up to the end position ofthe stroke whilst still being releasable, e.g. by the two actuatingunits of the dispenser being telescopically extensible up to the mutualstop. In this arrangement the pressure point may be defeated in theopposite direction so that the actuating units are then located in thestarting position in which they are stop-defined in both oppositedirections, namely against being telescopically extended by a stop whichis very difficult to defeat and against being telescopically retractedby the contacting sliding surface areas of the pressure point controlwhich is substantially easier to defeat.

The dispenser may be configured miniature, e.g. fully claspedsingle-handedly circumferentially or surrounded lengthwise so that thedischarge nozzle freely protrudes between two fingers of the hand. Itslargest radial width is maximally 60 mm or 50 mm and its lengthmaximally twice as large as compared to the latter may be maximally 90mm or 70 mm. These dimensions like all mutual locational definitions mayapply to both the starting position as well as the end position afterthe dispenser has been actuated.

These and further features also read from the description and thedrawings, each of the individual features being achieved by themselvesor severally in the form of sub-combinations in one embodiment of theinvention and in other fields and may represent advantageous aspects aswell as being patentable in their own right, for which protection issought in the present.

Example embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail in thefollowing and illustrated in the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is an illustration of the dispenser in accordance with theinvention, shown partly in axial section,

FIG. 1a is a vertical section view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in thepre-actuation position;

FIG. 1b is a vertical section view of the embodiment of FIG. 1 in theactuated position;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the dispenser as shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is an illustration of a further embodiment shown the same as inFIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 is a partly sectioned plan view of the dispenser as shown in FIG.3.

The dispenser 1 comprises two units 2, 3 opposingly movable by manualactuation in two directions located at right angles transversely to eachother. By linear movement the units 2, 3 are translated from a startingposition or resting position with a shortening of the dispenser 1 intoan actuated end position or working position as well as back into thestarting position by manual force. By rotary movement the units 2, 3 areopposingly displaced into various optional positions only in the linearresting position in opposite directions through at least 180° or morethan a full turn in each case. The first unit 2 located downwards ondischarge of the medium comprises a bowl-type base body 4 with aninternal reservoir body 6 and the second unit 3, located on top of theother unit on discharge of the medium, comprises a base body 5. Each ofthe base bodies 4, 5 as well as the reservoir body 6 is configuredintegral throughout.

The reservoir body 6 separate from the base body 4 could also beconfigured integral with the base body 4 and in addition the two basebodies 4, 5 could be produced integral with each other and then, withoutbeing parted from each other, translated from the mutual productionposition into the starting position or operating position differentthereto by being turned. As a result of this the dispenser may be madeexclusively of plastics material or injection molded parts withoutemploying any metal and also requires no springs such as control orreturn springs. Furthermore, the dispenser may be produced miniature,e.g. comprising a length of 10, 8 or 6 cm and a width at right anglestransversely thereto of 6, 5 or 4 cm smaller as compared to the latter,whereby each of the cited dimensions may be a maximum or minimum value.The dispenser may be configured for discharging only a single dose ofthe medium or for discharge in sequence of at least or maximally two,three or four doses of the medium located adjacent to each other in aplane at right angles and transversely to the linear displacement oraxis of rotation of the units 2, 3 and contained in separate reservoirs7. The spatial volume of each reservoir 7 is substantially larger thanthe volume of the medium contained therein so that the medium is movedor loosened up in the reservoir 7 by shaking.

On being discharged the medium flows from the reservoir 7 directly intoan outlet passage 8 linear throughout up to a medium orifice 9, the flowcross-sections of the outlet passage continually increasing from thereservoir 7 up to the medium orifice 9. The outlet passage 8 comprisesin cross-section only a single definition formed by an innercircumference and has at both ends a maximum width which is smaller thanthe largest inner width of the reservoir 7. On discharge of the mediumas well as in the starting position previous thereto the reservoir 7 andthe outlet passage 8 are located in a common axis 10 parallel to thedirection of displacement, as compared to which the axis 11 parallelthereto for the rotational movement of the units 2, 3 is laterallyspaced away therefrom by a spacing which is smaller than a third of themaximum width of the dispenser 1. The axis 11 forms the centerline ofthe dispenser 1 or of each of the units 2, 3 and an axis of symmetry forthe bodies 4, 6. On being discharged the medium flows from the unit 2through the unit 3 in the direction 12 and for translation into theactuated end position the unit 3 needs to be moved relative to the unit2 in the opposite direction 13. For translation into the various rotarypositions the units 2, 3 are opposingly twisted in the direction 14about the axis 11. An actuated end position is indicated dot-dashed inFIG. 1. On being discharged the medium detaches from the dispenser 1 asa whole at the orifice 9.

For each reservoir 7 the reservoir body 6 comprises a separate reservoircup 15 the plane opening of which is sealed off by a plane reservoirseal 16, namely a diaphragm, a film, foil or the like hermetically sothat the reservoir cup 15 can only be opened by destroying the seal 16.The bottom wall of the cup 15 curved inwardly concave and outwardlyconvex forms internally a hemispherical reservoir bottom 17 whichtranslates continually into a reservoir shell 18 constant in width up tothe opening. The length of the shell 18 is substantially smaller thanits width or the maximum width of the bottom 17 and may be smaller thana third or half of the radius of this width. The reservoir opening islocated in a face surface area 19 of the body 6 plane throughout andlocated at right angles transversely to the axis 10, 11, extending up tooutermost circumference of the unit 2, 4 and permanently forming thesurface area of this unit 2, 4, 6 nearest to the orifice 9.

All reservoirs 7 are configured integral with a tubular supporting body20 hollow throughout located in the axis 11, the outer circumference ofwhich is connected by the reservoir cups 15 via separate stems 21uniformly distributed about the axis 11, as a result of which thereservoir body 6 has differing wall thicknesses, namely smaller in theregion of the reservoir cup 15, the lower end of the supporting body 20as well as in the region of a flanged deck or a rim 22, but each thesame as the other, and in the region of the stems 21 wall thicknesseswhich are more than twice as thick as compared to the latter. The stem21 and the rim 22 form together the face surface area 19, the stem 21being axially shorter than the reservoir cup 15 so that the curvedbottom wall thereof protrudes downwards beyond the stem 21 and islocated radially spaced away adjacently from the outer circumference ofthe supporting body 20.

The radial spacing of the outer circumference of the cup 15 from theaxis 11 equals the radius of the freely exposed outer circumference ofthe supporting body 20 so that the stem 21 does not protrude beyondthese outer circumferences at right angles transversely to the planecommon to the axes 10, 11. In the axial view as shown in FIG. 2 thedispenser 1 just like each of its units 2, 3 or the base bodies 4, 5 iselongated or oval parallel to this axial plane so that its smallestwidth amounts at the most or at least to half of its maximum width andone of two reservoirs 7 is located at each end. Due to the thickenedportions of stems 21 located diametrally opposed and due to the freesurface area 19 being penetrated only by the reservoir openings thereservoirs 7 are connected to each other substantially flexibly rigidand to the supporting body 20. The reservoirs 7 are further stiffened bythe fixed connection of the reservoir body 6 to the base body 4. The rim22 of the face surface area 19 rests by its full circumference on theface or end surface area of the base body 4 facing the orifice 9, thisface or end surface area being formed by a rim 23 of the body 4consistent in width and thickness. The rims 22, 23 may be configuredalso integral with each other and surround the reservoir chambers 24 ofall reservoirs 7 in the plane of the reservoir openings and of thereservoir shells 18.

The base body 4 is formed by a cap 25, configured elongated as viewedaxially, which in each axial section comprises a constant inner andouter width throughout up to the rim 23 and forming a shell 26 as wellas at the end thereof facing away from the orifice 9 a plane face wall27. Each reservoir cup 15 is in contact with the inner circumference ofthe shell 26 in its portion furthest removed from the axis 11, namelysymmetrical to the axial plane 10, 11 and directly adjoining the innercircumference of the rim 23 by half the partial circumference of itsouter circumference, i.e. only up to the transition between the bottom17 and the shell 18 so that the bottom wall of the cup 15 is locatedwithin the base body 4 totally without any contact. The rim 23 protrudesonly beyond the outer circumference of the shell 26 and forms with therim 22 about the circumference a common, smooth circumferential surfacearea continual throughout which dictates the largest outer width of theunit 2. The bottom 27 is located axially spaced away from the reservoircups 15, this axial spacing being greater than its axial extent. Spacedaway from the reservoir cups 15 the walls 26, 27 are mutually joined bystiffeners, such as ribs 28, adjoining only at the inner sides of thewalls 26, 27 as well as at the outer circumference of the supportingbody 20 extending up to the inner side of the bottom 27. The web-shapedribs 28 located radially to the axis 11 may thus form by their end edgesfrom each other a divided centering opening for clampingly receiving thelower end section of the supporting body 20.

When the body 6 is inserted into the body 4 it is first the supportingbody 20 that engages this centering opening, after which the outersurface areas of the cups 15 located inclined to the direction ofinsertion 13 engage with the inner side of the shell 26 and therebyproduce, where necessary, a mutual twisting alignment of the bodies 4,6. It is solely by the engagement of the outer surface areas of thereservoir cups 15 with the inner surface area of the cap 25 that thebodies 4, 6 are then opposingly positively and permanently preventedfrom twisting out of place with zero clearance. Due to the mutual stopby the rims 22, 23 and by the parts 20, 27 the bodies 4, 8 areopposingly axially locked in place permanently with zero clearance. Theouter circumference of the reservoir cups 15 may also clampingly engagethe inner circumference of the body 4 with radial pressure, or the rims22, 23 may be hot-sealed or fused to each other so that any accidentalparting of the bodies 4, 6 is obviated. The body 6 seals off theinterior of the body 4 hermetically at its cup opening. Opposite theouter circumference of the supporting body 20 as well as the stems 21,namely in the region of its plane longitudinal sides, the innercircumference of the body 4 has no contact with the body 6 throughoutsince the outer width of the supporting body 20 and of the stems 21transversely to the axial plane 10, 11 is smaller than the correspondingouter width of the cup 15. The outer side of the wall 27, planethroughout, forms a handle 29 for locating one or more fingers as wellas a surface area for reliably standing the dispenser on a plane tabletop.

The two units 2, 4 and 3, 5 are connected to each other before ordirectly after commencement of the actuating movement only by a singletelescopic-type connection 30 located centrally in the axis 11 and whichmay be configured integral with one or more of the bodies 4 to 6. Inthis case, however, the connection 30 exposed between the units 2, 3 inthe starting position is formed by a component separate from the bodies4 to 6 and permits their shifting movement both axially, but with zeroradial clearance, as well as their mutual rotary movement. In thestarting position all reservoir cups 15 are located totally outside ofthe body 5 and in the actuated end position totally within the body 5beyond which then only the longitudinal part of the body 4 adjoining thereservoirs 7 with the handle 29 protrudes outwardly.

The body 5 comprises likewise an integral and, as viewed axially,elongated or oval cap 31, the shell 32 of which freely protrudes fromits plane face wall 33 only in the direction of the handle 29. The innercircumference of the shell 32 is slightly wider than the outercircumference of the body 4 or of the rim 22, 23 so that the latter maybe pushed into the shell 32 more or less up to the inner side of theface wall 33, passageways thereby remaining free between the inner sidesof the walls 32, 33 and the outer sides of the walls 22, 23, and a wallof the shell. As suction channels these passageways connect the openedreservoir chamber 24 to the outer atmosphere surrounding the dispenser 1and run in the direction of flow multiply angled first in the direction12 along the outer circumference of the wall of the shell 26, 23, 22,then transversely to the axis 10, 11 along the face surface area 19 orof the seal 16 about the connection 30 and then in the direction 13through the reservoir opening towards the reservoir bottom 17, and fromthere in the direction 12 they translate deflected into the outletpassage 8. These passageways may pass through the full circumference ofthe bodies 4, 6 without interruption so that in the actuated endposition they comprise passage cross-sections larger throughout than theoutlet passage 8, but form a constriction or sieve gap defined by therims 22, 23 to prevent the intake of any foreign matter. Between thefaces of rims 22, 23 the passageways form a flat passage gap extendingover the full face surface area 19, this gap being penetrated centrallyonly by the connection 30 so that the latter is directly surrounded bythe air flow.

Protruding beyond the outer side of the face wall 33 in the axis 10 is adischarge nozzle 34 configured integral with the body 5, 31. Located inthe end surface area of the discharge nozzle 34 is the orifice 9 as aright circular opening having a width of at least 2, 4 or 5 mm. Adjacentto and directly connecting the outer circumference of the nozzle 34 theotherwise plane outer side of the face wall 33 forms the second handle35 for locating one or more fingers of the same hand. Like the handle29, the handle 35 extends full-length up to the corresponding shell 26and 32 respectively, whereby both handles 29, 35 are penetrated by theaxis 11 since the nozzle 34 is located totally adjacent to the axis 11but spaced away therefrom. Protruding less far than the shell 32eccentrically adjacent to the nozzle 34 only beyond the inner side ofthe face wall 33 is a protuberance 36 totally located within the cap 31.The sleeve-shaped insertion protuberance 36 is configured integral withthe face wall 33 and forms part of the connection 30.

The double-wall nozzle 34 comprises an outermost shell 38 conicallyflared at an acute angle in the direction 13 up to the wall 33, thisshell extending only up to the wall 33 and translating thereintointegrally. At the other end located at the orifice 9 the shell 38translates integrally into a freely protruding inner shell 37 conicallytapered at an acute angle, which from the connection with the shell 38extending up to the orifice 9 is without contact to the shell 38 overits full length and over most of its outer circumference and thus freelyprotrudes in the direction 13 beyond the inner side of the wall 33 intothe cap 31. The outer circumference of the shell 37 is integrallyconnected to the inner circumference of the shell 38 via stiffeners,such as ribs 39 which protrude from the transition between the shells37, 38 up to the inner side of the wall 33 as well as into the cap 31.The longitudinal or axial ribs 38 are distributed uniformly about theaxis 10 and set back relative to the adjacent ends of the tubular 37,38.

The inner circumference of the tubular shell 37 defines alone the soleoutlet passage 8 conically flared at an acute angle in the direction 12.The length of the nozzle 34 is smaller than the spacing between thehandles 29, 35 in the resting position or in the actuated end position.The outer width of the nozzle 34 is selected closely behind its freeface surface area with a 6 mm diameter so large that it may beintroduced into a nostril and come into contact with the inside of thenostril relatively snugly when already inserted only slightly. The citedface surface area translates rounded into the conically outercircumference of the shell 38. Curved partly or semi-circular about theaxis 10 in every working rotated position are also the shells 26, 32 aswell as the rims 22, 23, whereby these curved sections as viewed axiallytranslate into each other via straight flanking sections of the shell orrim in each case.

As evident from FIG. 1 a separate seal 16 is provided for each reservoirchamber 24, although an integral common seal throughout may also beprovided for two or more or all reservoir chambers 24. The seal 16 isjoined by hot-sealing or fusion only to the face surface area 19, beyondwhich it protrudes only by its thickness of maximally half or a tenth ofa millimeter. To open the seal 16—which is flexible but capable ofbursting without debris—of a chamber 24 located in the axis 10 of thepassage 8, a tool 40 is provided on the unit 3, 5, this tool beinglocated totally within the cap 31 at the end of the passage 8 or of theshell 37 and protruding beyond this end, as a result of which the innershell forms a spike 37 with which the complete tool 40 is integrallyconfigured as with the remaining body 5.

Located nearest to the sealing plane 19 in the axis 10 is a tip 41 ofthe tool 40 pointing in the direction 13, this tip being configuredspaced away from the corresponding end of the hollow spike 37 as a 90°conically pointed tip. Integrally adjoining the tip 41 in the direction12 are the webs 42, the ends of which remote from the tip 41 integrallyadjoin the face or end surface area of the shell 37 so that theyprotrude in the plane of this face surface area beyond neither the innercircumference nor the outer circumference of the shell 37. The outerlongitudinal edges of the four webs 42 uniformly distributed about theaxis 10 form a smooth inclined continuation of the outer circumferenceof the tip 41 and their inner longitudinal edges diverge in thedirection 12 in the same way inclined to the axis 10. The side edges ofeach web 42 are located parallel to each other so that, between them,triangular ports 44 of the passage inlet 43 of the passage 8 are formedin each case uniformly distributed about the axis 10. The passagecross-section of the single port 44 as well as of all ports 44 jointlyis smaller than that of the passage 8, the orifice 9 and of the citedpassageways for the delivery air flow, as a result of which the tool 40forms protruding beyond the plane end surface area of the shell 37 asieve, a flow restrictor and a swirler for the flow, the ports 44 ofwhich are defined by the end surface area of the shell 37 as well as bythe webs 42.

In the actuated end position, in which the body 5 or the shell 37 isdirectly stop-defined relative to the body 4 or 6, the end of the tip 41is located away from the bottom 17 by a spacing which is smaller thanthe radius of curvature thereof or half thereof, whilst the end surfacearea of the shell 37 is located in the region of the bottom 17 or in theregion of the transition between the bottom 17 and the shell 18. Theouter circumference of the shell 37 then defines with the shell 18 anannular passage interrupted by the ribs 39, this annular passagestarting from the reservoir opening or the face surface area 19 andpointing axially in the direction of the bottom surface area 17. At theend surface area of the shell 37 the continuation of this annularpassage which is then defined by the webs 42 and the opposite bottomwall 17 first assumes a wider passage cross-section before then againbecoming narrower towards the tip 41. The air flowing through theannular passage towards the surface area 17 is caused to swirl about theaxis 10 by the guiding surface area 17, this swirl flow entering throughthe ports 44 into the passage 8 and simultaneously emerges mixed withthe medium from the orifice 9.

The closed chamber 44 is filled expediently only with medium sufficientto partly cover the bottom 17 and in the working position the ports 44dip into the medium either not at all or only in part to thus achieve avery good swirling entrainment of the medium and also size reduction ofany large particles possibly formed by minute particles stickingtogether. When the spike 37 dives into the chamber 24 the medium isdisplaced radially outwards about the axis 10 by the tool 40 so that themedium fill in the center forms a depression.

In the diving action it is only the tip 41 that first comes into contactwith the seal 16, causing it to be pricked before then being slit openin the further diving action by the webs 42 and the ribs 39 only alongradially lines up to the shell 18 and divided into individual circularsectioned flaps. These flaps then extend only up to the surface level ofthe medium in the chamber 24 and are caused to radially vibrate andflutter by the inlet flow of air, resulting in the delivery flowimpacting the medium to be pulsed, it also leaving the orifice 9 pulsed.Each rib 39 is located with a tool member 42 on the same side of theaxis 10 in a common axial plane and translates into this member 42graduated about the outer circumference of the shell 32.

The connection 30 comprises but a single connecting member 45 separatefrom the bodies 4 to 6, namely an arbor connected to the body 5 firmlyseated axially and prevented from twisting out of place. A tapered endof the hollow member 45 configured rotationally symmetrical full-lengthand located in the axis 11 is inserted as a connector spigot 46 firmlyseated in the protuberance 36 so that the outer circumference of thisconnecting member smoothly adjoins the outer circumference of thecylindrical connecting member 45 the same in width. In the startingposition the member 45 passes through a gap between the end surface areaof the cap 31 and the rim 22, 23. As of the surface area 19 the outercircumference of the member 45 engages the inner circumference of thearbor 20 shiftingly, rotatively as well as sealed so that a telescopicconnection materializes. Provided spaced away below the cups 15 andabove the wall 27 on the inner circumference of the boss 20 is a stop 47formed by the annular shoulder at the transition to a flared innercross-section of the arbor 20, pointing away from the body 5 and formingtogether with the counter-stop 48 of the member 45 a captive lock forthe units 2, 3 in the starting position. The counter-stop 48 is formedby a widened annular collar at the outer circumference and end of thesection of the member 45 which is guided up to the counter-stop 48slidingly on the body 6. In the actuated end position the member 45 withthe counter-stop 48 comes up against the inner side of the wall 27. Inthis end position the ribs 39 may still feature a gap spaced away fromthe annular defining edge of the shell 18 and of the reservoir openingrespectively.

Prior to first-time use (priming) the two units 3, 4 are joined togetherby a tamper-proof seal 49 safeguarding the bodies 4, 5 in the startingposition or in an intermediate position and sealing off the gap betweenthe bodies 4, 5 over part or all of the circumference from theatmosphere. The seal 49 can be translated into the release positionneeded to permit the formerly blocked actuating movement and rotarymutual movement of the units 2, 3 only by destroying a connection 51,namely its connection to the body 4 and/or the body 5. The cupped sealtag 52 is in this case curved about the axis 10 of the passage 8 and ofthe tool 40, located symmetrical to the axial plane 10, 11 and extendingabout the axis 10 at an angle of an arc of less than 180° and more than90°. The seal tag adjoins the ends of the shells 26, 32 facing eachother, it possibly translating via a design break connection integrallyinto the shell 32, as indicated by the dot-dashed line 53, and beingconfigured separately from the body 5 so that it may form at the innercircumference centering and stop surface areas for both the outercircumference and the end edge of the shell 32. The member 52 isintegrally connected to the outer circumference of the rim 23 by theconnection 51 protruding inwardly from the inner circumference of themember 52 and adjoining the lower end surface areas of the rim 23 thesame as of the member 52.

In joint integral fabrication of the bodies 4, 5 the connection 51 couldbe configured as a film hinge-type joint so that both bodies 4. 5 may beproduced located juxtaposed in cap openings facing in the same directlybefore then being folded together about the hinging axis into theposition as shown in FIG. 1. The connection 51 may be released either byapplying strong axial pressure to the handles 29, 35 or by manualpeeling off the seal tag 52 radially outwards by it being flexurallydeformed and totally removed from the two bodies 4, 5.

In the first case as cited the member 52 remains on the base body 5 sothat although mutual axial movement of the units 2, 3 is stillpermitted, their mutual rotation about the axis 11 is not, due to theremaining member 52 preventing this. As soon as on the axial stroke therim 22, 23 is attained in the shell 32 this too prevents any rotationalmovement of the units 2, 3 irrespective of the seal 49 since the innercircumference of the member 52 forms a smooth continuation of the innercircumference of the shell 32. It is not until the units 2, 3 have beentelescopically extended into their starting position that it is possibleto dislodge the member 52 in destroying the connection 51 by mutuallytwisting the bodies 4, 5 and thus permit the rotative movement needed toalign the passage 8 with the second reservoir 7.

To facilitate opening the chamber 24 a pressure point control 50 isprovided which locks the units 2, 3 in place until a predeterminedpressure force is attained at the surface areas 29, 35, it then beingeasily defeated so that the units 2, 3 are able to be manually urgedtowards each other greatly accelerated and only the seal 16 of theselected chamber 24 is pierced. In this case the holding member of thepressure point control is to be viewed as being the connection 51 which,however, after destruction is no longer effective for discharge from thesecond reservoir 7. In order to have an effective pressure point control50 on opening or discharging each reservoir 7, the units 2, 3 could bearranged to interengage in the starting position via a radially pliantlatch which is disengaged on actuation and reengaged on the return tothe starting position. Apart from being effective between the outer andinner cross-section of the bodies 4, 5 the latch could also be effectivedirectly between the bodies 5, 6, e.g. by providing a protruding latchcam on the supporting part 20 adjacent to the lower end surface area ofthe members 45, 48.

The nozzle 34 may be introduced into the bodily opening of a patientbeing treated before or after the axial actuation. In the first case apump for boosting the delivery flow into the chamber 24 as well as intothe passage 8 could be provided and formed e.g. by the member 45, 48acting as the plunger and the body 6, 20 as the barrel. In the case asillustrated, however, the dispenser 1 is totally valveless since aninlet valve or an outlet valve is needed in none of the passageways forthe delivery flow and the medium. After axial actuation the end edges 54of the ribs 39—provided converging at an acute angle in the direction 12with the axis 10, namely oriented parallel to the webs 42 and in alinear elongation from their inner edges—are located axial slightlyspaced away from the sharp defining edge of the chamber opening flankedat right angles in the axial section so that these edges 54 protrude upinto the shell 18.

Located between the outer sides of the bodies 4, 6 and the inner sidesof the body 5 are the portings or passageways 55 as explained extendingfrom the full circumference of the shells 26, 32 between the parallelrims 22, 23 up to the full circumference of the spike 37 and from theredirectly onto the chamber 24. The outer width of the spike 37 is greaterthan two-thirds of the inner width of the shell 18 and the mean width ofthe passage 8 corresponds to half the width of the shell 18. When air issuctioned through the orifice 9 from the passage 8 and the chamber 24without an intervening valve, then air flows via the passageways 55 fromwithout via an inlet 56 in the way as described and likewise withoutvalve control into the chamber 24 so that the medium is strongly swirledtherein and then the resulting, well homogenized mixture of medium anddelivery flow forced out in sequence through the ports 44, the passage 8and the orifice 9. Once the chamber 24 has been emptied the units 2, 3are manually returned from the end position in which the member 45, 48is stopped in contact with the bottom 27 back into the stopped extendedstarting position so that their mutual anti-twist lock is now released.The units 2, 3 are then counter-twisted about the axis 11 through 180°so that the parts 34, 37 to 44, 54 are then aligned on the secondreservoir 7 still to be opened. This can then be emptied into the secondnostril by axial actuation in the way as described.

In the case as shown in FIG. 1 the axial extent of the shank 34 isgreater than the axial extent of the cap 31, whereas in the case asshown in FIG. 3 it is smaller, but smaller than the axial extent of thebody 4 and 6 respectively. The axial stroke is smaller than the axialextent of each of the caps 25, 31 or of the nozzle 34, the length ofwhich corresponds to the spacing between the handles 29, 35 in theactuated end position. The cap 31 is half as short as the cap 25 whichaccommodates the cap in its interior only in the actuated end position,the length of the cap 31 being measured from the face surface area 35 upto the end edge of the shell 32. The axial extent of the body 6 equalsthat of the cap 25 or of the body 4 as a whole, thus resulting in thedispenser 1 being configured miniature and simple to operate.

For assembly, first the member 45, 48 is inserted from below in thedirection 12 into the supporting part 20 until it comes up against thestop 47, it then being connected to the body 5 via the protuberance 36and spigot 36, 46 in the same direction of insertion 12. Then, thisassembly is inserted in the direction 13 into the body 4, the cap 32 at53 comes up against the lock 49 resulting in the dispenser 1 then beingready for priming as described. If the member 45, 48 is to form anassembly with the body 5 prior to being fitted to the body 6, forexample, due to it being configured integral with the body 5, the member48 could be configured as a snap-action member or the like which oninsertion in the direction 13 into the supporting part 20 deflects fromthe face surface area 19 initially radially inwardly before snappingback radially outwards into its locking position after having negotiatedthe shoulder 47.

The annular space defined by the outer circumference of the supportingpart 20, the inner circumference of the shell 26, the inner side of thewall 27 as well as by the walls of the reservoir cup 15 and betweenadjacent cups 15 by the inner side of the flanged deck 22 is vacant,i.e. free of fixed installed items so that reservoir cups 15 differingin depth may be inserted in one and the same cap 25. Since the magnitudeof the stroke is dictated solely by the reservoir body 6 or by itscooperation with the counter-stop 48, adapting the stroke to thecorresponding cup depth is simply done by making changes to thereservoir body 6 as well as to the connecting member 45 withoutinvolving any change to the bodies 4, 5. In any case, however, thereservoir cups are located spaced away from and between the handles 29,35 in each actuation position.

As evident from FIGS. 3 and 4 the body 4 may be eliminated altogether orbe formed solely by the body 6, 20 forming with the lower end of thesupporting part 20 also the handle 29. In this case the protuberance 36is configured integral with the remaining connecting member 45. In thestarting position too, all reservoirs 7 or cups 15 are located totallywithin the shell 32, beyond the lower opening of which only thesupporting part 20 freely protrudes. The arrangement may be made so thaton the actuating stroke the member 45 emerges slightly from the lowerend 29 of the shank 20 before the tip 41 has attained the seal 16, theuser then feeling the corresponding relative location between the units2, 3 by his finger pressing against the handle 29. The four chambers 24or cups 15 uniformly distributed about the axis 11 are connected to theshank 20 via the stems 21 so that although the stems 21 translatedirectly into the rim 22 they are located spaced away from each othercircumferentially, as a result of which each cup 15 is able to execute aslight, resilient pivoting movement relative to the shank 20 like asingle-armed and radial lever freely protruding from the shank 20.

In this case the interengaging members of the control 50 are provideddirectly at the bodies 5, 6, namely at the inner circumference of theshell 32 and at the outermost circumference of the rim 22 as well asbeing configured each integral with the corresponding body 5 and 6respectively. Adjoiningly the rim 22 comprises at its free end edgesurface areas 47, 51 opposite each other which may be providedfull-length as the flanks of an annular groove about the axis 11. Bothsurface areas 47, 51 are formed by separate radial protuberances eachdefined by two flanks. The flank 47 of the protuberance located nearerto the end edge of the shell 32 exerts a greater return resistance onthe protuberance 48 of the body 6 than the corresponding flank of theprotuberance belonging to the shoulder 51 and may be located e.g. atright angles to the axis 11. The rim 22 forms around each cup 15 a mostprominent radially rim protuberance 48, the surface areas 47, 51 beinglocated in the movement travel of all protuberances 48. In the startingposition the protuberances 48 are located expediently between thesurface areas 47, 51 so that on actuation the inclined surface area 51first needs to be slidingly overcome by the protuberances 48 with thecited resilient definition of the body 6 before the accelerated workingstroke commences. Then, when the units 2, 3 are telescopicallyre-extended, the body 6 deforms correspondingly in the oppositedirection when the protuberances 48 slide along the other inclinedsurface areas of the protuberance of the surface area 51 into the regionof the latching opening 47, 51. In the starting position the body 6 isaccordingly locked in place by a snap-action connection of the control50.

In each working rotary position the two units 2, 3 are positivelyprevented from being twisted mutually out of place by a lock 57, butwith sufficient rotary play to permit a slight, mutual resilienttwisting movement to permit their precise mutual alignment in axialstopping of the surface area 54 at the unit 2. Between two protuberances48, each defined as viewed axially semi-circular and convex, the outerend surface area of the rim 22 forms in each case a semi-circular andconcave definition recess 58 engaged by a protuberance 59 at the innercircumference of the shell 32 with slight radial tension with the citedrotary play. The protuberance 59 guides the body 6 practically over thefull actuating stroke, but releases it for the rotative movement aboutthe axis 11 when the latching members 48 are located in the latchingopening 47, 51. In this arrangement latching members are also providedexpediently in the region of the groove 47, 51 which may be defeated,unlike the lock 57, by the manual rotary force exerted on the body 6 andwhich always locks in place when a chamber 24 is located in the axis 10.From this latching position effective solely by positive friction thebody 6 is then translated into the positive rotary lock 57 directly oncommencement of the working stroke. For this purpose the end surfacearea of the protuberance 59 is able to approach the axis 11 inclined inthe direction 12. In the region of each protuberance 59 the thickness ofthe shell 32 may be reduced so that it forms at the outer circumferencea finger scallop for the user.

The dispenser 1 described is particularly suitable for powdered, grainyor similar, flowable media or solid substances. However, it may be justas suitable for liquid or pasty media, the part 40 or part 16 thencomprising a plunger sliding sealed along the shell 18 to thus produce adischarging pressure in the chamber 24. The tool 40 for opening orpiercing the plunger or seal 16 may also be a hollow needle of ametallic material, more particularly stainless steel, through which theoutlet passage 8 is guided. In this case the outlet passage 8 is thenexpediently guided through an outlet valve which does not open until asufficiently high pressure has built up in the chamber 24 due to thetravel of the stroke. In this configuration the delivery flow may alsoport directly into the passage 8, the orifice 9 of which is formedexpediently by an atomizer nozzle with means for swirling the medium. Asevident from FIGS. 3 and 4 the units 2, 3 or the bodies 5, 6, butespecially the cap shell 32, are defined circular about the axis 11 asviewed axially so that the handles 29, 35 do not extend longitudinaltransversely to the axis 10, 11 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

It will be appreciated that all features of all embodiments areinterchangeable or supplementary to each other for any one dispenser, sothat all passages of the description apply to all embodiments. All citedeffects and properties such as locational definitions, sizerelationships or the like may be provided precisely as described, ormerely substantially or approximately so and may also greatly deviatetherefrom depending on the required discharge effect.

What is claimed is:
 1. A dispenser having two bodies which are rotatablerelative to one another, one of said bodies, being a base body,comprising a discharge nozzle having a piercing element which has aninlet and outlet for a medium to be inhaled through the nozzle andanother of said bodies, being a reservoir body, comprising multiplesealed reservoirs for containing the medicament which when pierced bythe piercing element the medium will flow from the inlet of the piercingelement to the outlet and out an orifice.
 2. The dispenser according toclaim 1, wherein said reservoirs comprise a reservoir being concavelybounded by a reservoir cup, and wherein an outlet shell bounds saidoutlet.
 3. The dispenser according to claim 2, wherein said reservoirchamber is bounded by a substantially wherein said reservoir chamber isbounded by a substantially hemispherical cup bottom.
 4. The dispenseraccording to claim 1, wherein while extracting the medium said reservoirbounds a substantially annular inlet opening for passing inlet flow intosaid reservoir.
 5. The dispenser according to claim 4, wherein saidoutlet is located inside the piercing element, said reservoir beingbounded by a cup bottom opposing a cup aperture, and an annular ductconnecting said cup aperture with said cup bottom, said annular ductbeing coaxial with said inlet of said piercing element.
 6. The dispenseraccording to claim 1, wherein said reservoir is bounded by a cup walland a reservoir closure including a closure wall thinner than said cupwall, said closure wall being bonded to a cup rim and hermeticallysealing said reservoir while being releasable only by being destroyed,said reservoir closure being substantially planar.
 7. The dispenseraccording to claim 1, wherein actuating means are included for openingsaid reservoir by a manual actuating motion.
 8. The dispenser accordingto claim 1, and further including abutment means, wherein whiledischarging the medium said outlet is positively locked relative to saidreservoir by said abutment means while simultaneously an inclined faceengages a recess of said reservoir containing body.
 9. The dispenseraccording to claim 1, wherein said outlet is surrounded by longitudinalribs circumferentially subdividing said reservoir and including frontedges which substantially connect to said reservoir body when manuallyactuating said dispenser.
 10. The dispenser according to claim 1,wherein a piercing element is included for opening said reservoir, saidpiercing element being located in the vicinity of said inlet andcovering said outlet when viewed in axial view, for opening saidreservoir said piercing element substantially exclusively slitting saidreservoir body, ports of said inlet being inclined relative to an axisof said reservoir.
 11. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein saidbase body includes said piercing element including a plunger and saidinlet, while discharging the medium said plunger extending inside saidreservoir and being spaced from a cup bottom of said reservoir, whereinpassageways extend within said reservoir from a constriction into awidened section adjoining said cup bottom.
 12. The dispenser accordingto claim 11, wherein said piercing element and said reservoir commonlyprovide a mixing and swirl chamber for a delivery flow radially inwardlydeflected in said reservoir over an angle of substantially 180° intosaid outlet.
 13. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein saidreservoir is bounded by a reservoir cup supported substantiallyexclusively circumferentially by said base body and including a cupaperture, said reservoir cup including a rim enveloping said cupaperture.
 14. The dispenser according to claim 13, wherein saidreservoir cup includes a cup shell and said reservoir body includes asupport body, said cup shell eccentrically connecting to said supportbody substantially in one part.
 15. The dispenser according to claim 1,wherein said at least one base body includes a first base body and asecond base body manually displaceable relative to said first base body,said first base body supporting said reservoir and said second base bodyincluding said outlet, while discharging the medium said first andsecond base bodies being interconnected substantially exclusively viasaid reservoir body.
 16. The dispenser according to claim 15, whereinsaid reservoir body is mounted on said second base body directlyadjacent to said reservoir via a telescopic mount, while discharging themedium said reservoir body being located substantially entirely withinat least one of said first and second base bodies and radially adjacentto said telescopic mount.
 17. The dispenser according to claim 1,wherein control means are included for manually overcoming a pressureresistance while initially actuating said dispenser.
 18. The dispenseraccording to claim 17, wherein said at least one base body includesfirst and second base bodies, said control means including means forlocking said second base body relative to said first base body in aninitial position, said control means including a rated ruptureconnection interconnecting said first and second base bodies, a captivelock being included for preventing said second base body from beingwithdrawn from said first base body.
 19. The dispenser according toclaim 1, wherein said reservoir body includes a plurality of individualreservoirs each of said individual reservoirs, being individuallyconnectable to said outlet.
 20. The dispenser according to claim 1,wherein said base body includes a first base body and a second base bodymanually axially and rotatably displaceable relative to said first basebody, an arbor being included and rotatably engaging said reservoirbody.
 21. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said base body isa cap and includes a cap shell prevented from rotating relative to saidreservoir body by rotation prevention means, at least while dischargingthe medium said rotation prevention means being located in the vicinityof said cap shell.
 22. The dispenser according to claim 21, wherein saidrotation prevention means include a positioning member located on anouter circumference of said reservoir body and on an inner circumferenceof said cap shell, said rotation prevention means including means foraxially slidingly displacing said cap shell relative to said reservoirbody.
 23. The dispenser according to claim 1, wherein said base bodyincludes said outlet duct and a discharge nozzle, said discharge nozzleincluding a free end traversed by said medium outlet said dischargenozzle including first and second shells commonly bounding said mediumoutlet, said first shell being nested inside said second shell andradially spaced from said second shell, said first shell defining alength extension different from a length extension of said second shell,said first shell freely protruding into said base body.
 24. Thedispenser according to claim 1, wherein said reservoir body and basebody include peripheral faces located outside of said at least onereservoir, passageways being bounded by said peripheral faces.
 25. Thedispenser according to claim 24, wherein said base body includes a cupend wall including an inner face, said reservoir body including an endface opposing said inner face, said end face and said inner facecommonly bounding said passageways.
 26. The dispenser according to claim24, wherein said base body includes a first cap shell, and a second capshell enveloping said first cap shell, said passageways ending upstreamin an inlet and suction opening substantially circumferentially boundedby at least one of said first and second cap shells.
 27. A dispenseraccording to claim 1, wherein said base body being rotatable around anaxis of rotation, said sealed reservoirs being disposable near saidpiercing element by rotation and then pierced by movement of said basebody in direction of said axis.